article · Desalination
An autonomous hybrid renewable energy system integrated with a large-scale reverse osmosis desalination plant was evaluated to supply electricity, heat, and water for the New Capital International Airport in Egypt. The system design incorporates solar photovoltaic panels, wind turbines, a combined heat and power microturbine, a diesel generator, battery storage, a converter, a thermal load controller, and a boiler. An assessment comparing 16 configurations identified an optimal setup that achieved a net present cost of 1.54 million dollars and an energy cost of 0.089 dollars per kilowatt-hour, with an investment payback period of 1.12 years. This design reduces emissions by 59.5 percent relative to the base case while maintaining an exceptionally low risk of power interruption at 0.0993 percent. Integrating a thermal load controller substantially lowered system costs, emissions, and battery requirements.
Major infrastructure facilities like airports require continuous, dependable supplies of electricity, clean water, and heating. Demonstrating that integrated renewable generation can simultaneously run reverse osmosis desalination and thermal systems economically, with rapid capital recovery, offers a practical model for cutting industrial carbon emissions without compromising service reliability or increasing operational risks.
This research outlines an applied feasibility and optimization model directed at airport operators, utility planners, and clean energy project developers. The work sits at an applied planning and simulation stage, demonstrating clear economic viability with a rapid payback period. It provides an immediate decision-making framework for investors and public authorities looking to procure integrated clean power and water infrastructure for major public facilities.
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This paper investigates the potential and feasibility of an integrating hybrid renewable power generation system with a large-scale reverse osmosis desalination plant to provide electricity, heat, and water for the New Capital International Airport, Egypt. The proposed energy system contains photovoltaic panels, wind turbine, combined heat-power microturbine generator, diesel generator, batteries, converter, thermal load controller, and a boiler. A comprehensive energy-economic-environmental optimization analysis was performed to optimize energy systems in which 16-feasible solutions were evaluated and compared. The results revealed that the optimal system has the least net present and energy costs by 1.54 M$ and 0.089 $/kWh, respectively, and needs only 1.12 years to recover the invested money. Moreover, the proposed system produces emissions of 59.5% less than the base-case. The optimal system has a negligible unmet load ratio since it has a negligible loss of power supply possibility of 0.0993%. The thermal load controller has a significant impact on reducing the net present cost, cost of energy, emissions, and needed batteries by 52%, 56.4%, 36.5%, and 90%, respectively compared to the base-case. The obtained results are expected to attract large investments in clean energy and water desalination because of the government's challenges in such fields.
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DOI: 10.1016/j.desal.2021.114952
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